Link's wound's
by coli narago
Summary: Link get's himself wounded. Midna transports him to Ordon village, where she knows he'll get help. Will he live? Sorry, i suck at summaries. T for mild language and serious wounds. A lot about Shad.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey! It's me, Emma! I'm really excited to publish my next story! So, here it is! BTW, the temple that Link is in is the Temple of time. Also, I know this wasn't where Rusl was at the time. Just work with me here.

Link's POV

Here we go again. Just another group of goblins to chop my way through. No biggie. At this point in the game, something as small as this was practice.

Just as my sword sliced through the last goblin, there was a loud echoing bang from behind me. Great. Something big. And then glass shattering.

A little black imp rushed out of my shadow.

"That doesn't sound too good. Do you think that the mirror shard is in there? Or WAS in there?"

"I don't know, Midna, but we should probably go find out. After all, since when are we scared of anything?" Truth is, the fear was sliding in ripples down my spine. It always does when I go into a boss lair.

The large monster was similar to a big spider. It was black and hairy, and had a big orange eye on it's back. Lovely. This was going to be fun. The first thing that I did was pull out my bow. I was going to hit the beast in the eye, then when it was on the ground, I was going to use my dominion rod to make the statue crush it. **(A/N: This actually how you do it. But, after he's been crushed by the statue, then he's reduced to an eyeball and you just shoot him with a few arrows or sword strikes. Honestly, the easiest temple boss I've ever fought.)** However, I was ambushed by a hoard of spiders from behind.

I couldn't get control of my sword arm. They were crawling all over it. I tried to keep the little devils at bay with my shield, but it was engulfed with tiny spiders.

The next thing I knew, my name was being called by Midna's tiny screeching voice and all went black and silent.

Midna's POV

The spiders were all over him. They were biting and scratching and he finally fell to the ground in a pile of flesh, blood and spiders. I called to him frantically, using my powers to get rid of the little buggers. I knew exactly what needed to be done.

I'd done a little bit of research in the past and had found out that the man, Rusl, I believed his name was, trained with his sword everyday by the spring in Ordona. If I could teleport Link to just outside there, then maybe he would find him.

It was worth a shot.

Rusl's POV

I swung my sword around once again, pretending to hit a foe, then again, and again. My training session would have to end soon, though. It was beginning to get dark, and my pregnant wife would need me at home before long.

I reluctantly sheathed my sword and headed out the gate. It was then that I saw a large, irregular lump. Wondering what it was, I slowly walked up to it. I really didn't know what it was, so I kept my hand on the hilt of my sword, which was still in it's sheath.

My eyes weren't quite adjusted to the dying light, but I didn't have to take too many steps before I realized that the lump was a man. A wounded man.

He was in a pool of blood, curled up and with his back to me. His bloodied sword was on the ground a few inches from is limp hand, his shield still attached to his left arm, and he was lying on it.

At first, I didn't know if the man was still alive. He appeared dead at first, and I was scared to death. Then, in the darkness, I saw his chest heave ever so slightly. I needed to get this man back to the village. He was going to die if I didn't. And even with proper treatment, I wasn't sure if he was going to live anyway.

I couldn't see his face as he was facing away from me. I gingerly picked the man up into my arms like a baby and looked into his face.

I almost dropped him. It was Link. I was a little stressed and panicked in the first place, but now I was about to go into hysterics.

I bolted down the old road as fast as possible and into the village.

"Help!" I hollered. "It's Link! He's hurt!" Jaggle and Uli both appeared by my side. Uli had her hand over her mouth and her other over stomach. She looked flabbergasted.

Jaggle took one look at the bleeding, warped body in my hand before opening the door to my house.

Jaggle's POV

I was just finishing up the shield that I had been working on when I heard running feet out in the street. My first thought was children, but then I realized that they were all gone. I sighed heavily and returned to work. How I missed my sons.

Then I heard Rusl hollering outside. "Help!" he cried. Uh oh. This couldn't be good.

Those evil creatures must have returned!

"It's Link! He's Hurt!"

What in blue blazes? Link!? Hurt!? There was a problem. I was outside before I really knew what I was doing.

Sure enough, there was Rusl carrying Link like a baby. His body was mangled and bleeding. It was one of the most horrendous things I'd ever seen. This young man that I'd known since the day he was born was dying right before my eyes.

I quickly opened Rusl's and Uli's front door to let Rusl and Link in. Uli pushed past me.

I put a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps a woman doesn't need to see this."

"See what?" She was panicked and frightened. "You don't actually think that he's going to…" She couldn't finish her sentence before bursting into tears and wrapping her arms around my neck. So I stood there and comforted her.

Rusl's POV

Link was lying on my bed, stripped, a white cloth covering his modest region. There were several large, deep gashes on his arms and legs, two large gashes in his mid-section. He also had several small but deep circular wounds all over his body. The blood was flowing freely. Still unconscious, Link's breathing was shallower and shallower with every draw he took. I honestly didn't expect him to survive. Link, who was like my little bother, was dying and there was hardly anything I could do about it.

I'm no doctor, but I knew that it a wound was deep enough, then it will cause almost certain death.

Jaggle and I bound the wounds as I explained how I found him. We came to the conclusion that He must have been somewhere close by, and, when realizing that he was going to die, worked his way back to people that might help him.

We also concluded that if we didn't get him to a doctor fast, then he wouldn't survive. I needed Link to survive.

So, we had him in the back of the only cart in the entire village within five minutes, and the rest of the village watched as Jaggle and I rode off to castle town.

Jaggle's POV

"Hey, How's he holding up?" Rusl called from where he was driving the cart. I almost didn't want to answer him because, actually, Link wasn't holding up to well. The bleeding hadn't stopped and his breath was getting shorter and shorter. It appeared as if he had crushed several of his bones.

To put it simply, Link was dying.

"Not to well."

"I know your no doctor, but, in your opinion, is he going to make it to castle town?"

"No. He's dying." The cart went faster then it had ever gone before. Link was going to die, but Rusl had far to much hope. When he did pass, it was going to hit his friend hard. Very hard. This was like losing a son to him.

I saw the city walls climb over the hill and the cart went even faster. We went soaring right into town, only stopping once inside the gate.

I jumped out of the back of the cart. "We need a doctor! Fast!"

A little blonde girl, maybe nine years old, in a blue dress pointed down a road and said "That way! The doctor lives that way!"

Since the cart wouldn't fit down the little street, Rusl picked up Link's limp body and ran as fast as he could the direction the girl had pointed in.

Little Blonde Girl's POV

I don't know, that carrot seems a little to ripe… wait, that one might work. Okay, now I have the carrots and tomatoes, now all I need is the beets. Oh, there they are, over there.

Suddenly there was a humungous bang behind me and I spun around on my heel. An old-looking cart with two men pulled to a halt and the man in back jumped out, calling for a doctor.

I'm not stupid. I know why people need doctors, especially why they holler for them. Someone was sick or hurt.

Quickly I pointed and told them where to go. Then man that had been driving picked a man up out of the back of the cart.

He looked terrible. There were poorly wrapped bandages on him all over the place, he was unconcious, and there was a large woolen blanket wrapped around him.

And I recognized him.

He was the guy that always hung around Telma's bar, the one that was good friends with her. And I also knewthat no one really trusted that old coot of a doctor. Telma would want to know about this.

Putting my basket down, I rushed through the streets, then I stopped. I was in front of the bar's front door. Normally, nine-year-old girls weren't allowed in places that sold liquer, but this was a matter of life and death. I slowly pushed the door open.

Telma's POV

It was a slow day. It normally is on days with no other big hub bub going on at the castle.

Shad, Ashei and Auru were sitting up at the table in back, speaking loudly enough for me to hear. There was no one else around.

Then the door opened.

My back was turned, so I assumed this was just another customer come for a meal and drink. The room went deathly silent.

Well, what kind of man could this be? Is he big? Tattooed? I can imagine someone scaring Shad out of his wits, but Ashei and Auru had gone silent as well.

I turned to discover that the person in question was not large or scary at all, but a little girl.

"Are you Telma?" She looked frightened, So, I came out from behind the counter so I could squat down to her level. I put on my nicest smile.

"Yes, I am. What can I do for you?"

"Do you know that guy who's always around here?"

"There are lots of guys who are always around here."

"The one with the green tunic and purple sword."

"Link? Yeah, I know him, Honey." I was starting to get concerned.

"I just saw a couple of guys come into town. They took him to the doctor. He was hurt really bad. I just thought you would want to know." I froze, but my three companions made for the door and probably for the doctor's.

"Thank you, dear." And I followed my friends.

It was easy to believe that Link could get himself hurt. He was always around Hyrule, in it's time of greatest need. Ok, so maybe not it's greatest need. It's greatest need was written down in a great legand. The hero of time.

The hero of time always wore a green tunic and the master sword, which had a purple grip. And he always had a triforce symbol on the back of this hand. And he always had a horse named Epona.

And his name was always Link.

Holy shit.

**A/N: R&R!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: here's the next chapter! I'll keep writing, but I wont post another chapter until I get at least one review. That's just the way it works. Enjoy! BTW, I'm using Shad's POV because I just like him. He reminds me of me! (Smart, un-athletic, sociably inept and geeky)

Shad's POV

"He's hurt real bad." I heard the girl say. Oh, yikes. I better get down there to see him. Apparently, Ashei and Auru were thinking the same thing, because they immediately got up and headed for the door. I was right behind them.

The doctor's office was small, which really didn't leave that much room for six of us (Telma had come, too), a doctor, and one patient. I really couldn't see Link with everybody else in the way, but from what people were saying, he didn't look good.

The crowd finally cleared after a while and I finally got to actually got to see the wounded warrior.

He looked terrible.

He was lying on his back in the bed with the blanket pulled up to his waist. His waist, because it was really hot that day. His entire chest was bandaged from the armpits to the bottom of the ribcage. There was a bit of irregularity in the shape of his left side of his ribcage (Where he landed on his shield), and a maroon bloodstain on the right side of the bandage (where he was sliced by a spider). He also had a bandage all along his left arm (Where he landed on his shield) and on the forearm of his left arm (Where his own sword hit him as he dropped it). Also, there was a bandage around his head with blood spattered allover it (Where he fell). And, to top it all off, he had little circular puncture marks everywhere (spider bites). And when I day everywhere, I mean everywhere.

According to the doctor, he also had a high fever and his breathing was getting no better.

Telma and Ashei were at work healing Link and Auru, and the two men that had brought Link here worked on repairing his equipment and armor.

So I sat in a chair. There was nothing else that I could possibly do. I was so useless. Everybody else had something they were good at, and I had nothing. When I had been a little kid, my father pushed me to learn to fight, but I'd always been convinced that being smart would get me through life just fine.

Now I saw that I'd been wrong. I couldn't just live in my fantasy world studying mythical creatures and places that never really existed. I needed to learn to fight and to work, and to repair, build, herd and construct.

I had a tall, lanky figure. By the time I was done, I would have muscles and be able to lift even the heaviest things. I knew that my courage was that of a little girl, but by the time my training was through, I would walk into the deepest cave and skillfully kill all evil that resided there. By the time I was done.

After two hours of sitting idly, the doctor claimed that only one person could remain and everybody else must leave. We decided that we would all take shifts. Tonight, the man, Rusl, was elected to stay. He was overjoyed to stay by Link's side, and I don't blame him. His friend was dying. I actually wanted to stay, but we were taking shifts. Mine was the fifth night. The thing is, I didn't know if he would survive until the fifth night.

I went back to Telma's bar and inn where I was staying, wondering if my friend would even survive the night. I would see him in the morning though.


	3. night 1

A/N: Hey guys! I'm so glad that I got a review! Anyway, here's the first night! Enjoy!

First night

Rusl's POV

I sat down in the chair next the Link's bed and used the wet cloth to keep him cool. I brushed it over his forehead and took my towel and hand back.

Last summer, Link, my son and I had gone on a camping trip. The entire time, he's been laughing or smiling. Not now. Now, his face was stone cold. Then, he's been bronzed by the time he spent in the sun. Now, his face was deathly pale. Before, he was always moving. Either reeling a fish in, or running to catch Colin in one of his little games, or pitching the tent. Now, he laid still. Lifeless. That night, he'd been so tired that he drifted of to sleep almost instantly. When he was asleep, he had a peaceful look on his face. Soft and at ease. Now, He looked almost in pain.

I imagined him as a young kid, the little boy that I'd watched grow up. He wasn't the scarred and wounded young man that I was looking at now. I couldn't be. I couldn't bear to see that child hurt. Yet it was he. And he was dying.

I wiped his face one more time.

Shad's POV

I walked back to the inn in the night. Ashei, Auru, Telma and Jaggle were all walking with me. The night was deathly quiet. And I was still feeling useless. There was nothing that I could do.

There was no doubt that Link was going to die. Everyone knew it, though no one admitted it.

Telma and Ashei could all work to keep him alive longer, and the other men could repair his equipment to remember him and maybe for further use by another man, but I was useless.

I got back to the inn and picked up a random book on mythical places.

One of the first places in the book was the secret grotto.

I read about the mythical skull kid and hit magic trumpet, then about the ruins. It was said that the ruins were once the temple of time. Every hero of time went there to run the last of his quest. Which was why, now, there would be no more heroes of time.

I thought bout that for a minute. I thought about the hero of time. He always had a green tunic and the master sword. That was why no one could be classified as the hero anymore; the sword was destroyed when the temple went down. I had also read that he always had the triforce symbol on his hand.

My thoughts were reverted back to link for a moment. I thought of that shiny sword that he always carried. It looked just like the drawing of the master sword. Wow. What a coincidence. Then I wondered where he had gotten such a weapon.

A dying man deserved to have his differences pointed out, so I thought of a few of his characteristics, however, I was still half into my book.

Link was brave. It reminded me of the triforce courage in the hero of time. Then I thought of the funky cloths he always wore. A green tunic and long had, just like the hero of time. And he had a tattoo on his hand. Wait a minute. That tattoo was the triforce symbol.

Oh my goddesses.

Link was the hero of time.

Now, I knew that the hero of time had ultra special stamina. He was harder to kill than most men. Which meant that he must have had something put into his bloodstream. I needed to know what was contaminating his blood. I also knew that different places had different natural poisons.

Now, where could he have been?

**A/N: Now, review this chapter, or you don't get another one!**


	4. night 2

**A/N: Thx Legend of Zelda 4 Ever! You're amazing for giving me another review! I love you!**

Second night

Ashei's POV

His temperature was rising. Whenever I put my hand on his face, my hand would feel like I'd touched a sword that's been in the sun too long.

I was almost done changing the bandages once again and moved onto the final one. His head was a wound I had never seen before. It was a deep puncture wound. However, it looked like he'd been stabbed and then the object in question was turned or dug into his forehead.

That was it. Any hope I'd had for my friend was now gone. So young. To die so young.

Shad's POV

The best location I could come up with was the temple of time. So I looked through my books for some sort of clue. Naturally, I started with the most unique thing. The little puncture wounds all around his body. What in the world could those be?

Eventually, I found a picture or a spider. Yes, it was most diffinately that same spider that had hurt Link.

So, now that I knew where he had been? What was in his blood stream?

**A/N: Sorry about the shortness, but I want to do this night by night until Shad's shift. Maybe then I'll pick up the pace.**


	5. night 3

A/N: Thx for waiting. I'm going back to my old rule though. If you want more story, then you need to review. Or else I won't publish. Thx.

Night 3

Telma's POV

I looked down at the poor soul in front of me. This young man was dying, and there was nothing that I could do about it. He had protected those children and I while on our way to Kikoriko village, and there was no way for me to repay him.

The wounds were closing up at their own pace. We could tell that they were that much smaller. It was slower than most wounds, though. And these ones were infected. There was no way to tell by looking at the wounds, but he was burning up more than ever and there was sweat forming at his hairline.

The cool, damp towel in my hand was hardly doing him any good.

What we needed was Renado, that shaman down at Kikoriko, but he could not come. We couldn't carry Link to him, either. If we did so much as pick him up, then he would die. There was no way that he would survive a bumpy and rough ride to the village.

The sweat continued to form on the young warriors forehead, and I bushed it away with the towel again.

Shad's POV

I recognized those round wounds. They were spider bites from a large type of spider native to those parts. Those spiders were also venomous. Since there were so many bites all around Link's body, I figured that it must be the poison which was contaminating his blood. There was no other explanation. In addition, I had read that all poisons have some counter act, an antidote. This could save my friend's life. Now all I needed was the antidote.


	6. night 4

A/N: Hey! It's Emma again! Who else would it be???? Well, thanks again for your review Zelda 4 ever! You're amazing! Since you're the only person that reviews, I sort of feel like I'm writing to you. I love you so much!!!

Night 4

Jaggle's POV

I loved this boy with everything I had, and here he was, so weak and feeble. It broke my heart.

It was all I could do to keep from crying. There was almost no stopping it. The tears welled in my eyes and I blinked them back, kind of like an army defending it's walls.

The sweat was pouring down his face and the fever was skyrocketing. It was higher than any fever I'd ever felt in my life. I could have fried an egg on his forehead. I really could have.

There was almost no distinguishing whether he was ill, or if he'd been drowned. Seriously. His skin was pale white and the sweat entirely drenched him, like he's been bathed with it. His breathing was almost undetectable. Just a little rise in the chest every now and then. This was his last night, no doubt about it.

Before morning, Link would be dead.

I looked out the window. The night was lighted by the full moon and twinkling stars of twilight.

(A/N: the only reason that he doesn't die tonight is because it's a full moon and that's when wolfs thrive.)

Shad's POV

There were six things that I learned tonight.

Branch + head = ouch

Branch + nuts = ouchier

Two branches + stone floor = even ouchier

All of the above in one sequence causes much pain

This is why I don't do Link's job

What the antidote is

Now, how exactly I survived the trip here is beyond me. However, I do know that the reason that I'm here is to save a dear friend's life.

I kicked a small pebble out of the way, as if there weren't even bigger ruins just feet in front of me. I had to find that skeleton kid. The only antidote comes from the pollen in his magic trumpet, which is made out of an extinct plant, which used to thrive here.

There was only one way to call the skeleton kid and get him to help you. He wants the craziest thing ever. Puppet strings. For what, I don't have a clue. But, for Link, I brought a whole box, which was tucked neatly under my arm.

Not really knowing what to do, I stood in the middle on the ruins and waved some strings in the air. It worked.

Soon enough, a creepy little kid hopped down from a tree with several puppet bodyguards. Well, now I knew where the strings were going.

He just stared and giggled at me. It was a freaky little laugh, and sent chills up my spine. Like I said before, I had the courage of a little girl. But, still, this was for Link and I wasn't going to leave without the antidote that would save him.

I held out the strings and the creepy child grabbed them from me. I flinched like a rabbit.

Then he just stared at me.

So I stared back.

And he stared back.

So, nervously, I cleared my throat and spoke.

"I have a proposition for you." No response, he just kept staring, so I continued. "I understand that you need puppet strings." The kid nodded his head. "So, I've brought an entire box of them and would like to make an exchange." More staring. "I need just a little bit of pollen from your trumpet. I've brought a jar to put it in."

The kid simply grabbed the box and threw the trumpet in his hand at me. And then he disappeared.

So, not quite sure what to do, I put some pollen in the jar and placed the instrument on the ground. Then I left.


	7. morning of night 4

A/N: hey guys! I'm rather hyped on sugar at the moment. Good news! I finished Twilight Princess today! Go me! I actually rather enjoyed battling Gonon/Ganondorf. Of course, that's me. I can't speak for Link who was actually the one fighting. Anyhoo, Enjoy!

Night 5

Jaggle's POV

I lifted my head from my arm. I had fallen asleep in the night. Of course, so had everybody else while on their shifts.

A tear rolled down my cheek. I had not been exadurating last night before, about it being Link's last. Surely, he was gone now.

The moon was still up in the sky, as it was not quite dawn yet. Though I did see a sliver of light on the horizon. Yes, Link was dead.

I looked down on him and his deathly pale face, knowing that this boy would never rise again. Knowing that this young man, whom both my sons, as well as the rest of the village children, adore would never take another living breath. He would never put his face to the shining sun, nor wade in the depths of the coolest spring. Never would he laugh. Never would he ride, freely, alive, quick, rowdy, on the back of his mare. Never would he herd another sheep. Or save Fado from another of his little accidents.

Never again would this pale, stony, deathlike face ever smile.

As the tears soaked my face, my whole body trembling, I found the strength to reach out my hand to wipe away the sweat-soaked hair from his face. My fingers touched his forehead and they felt thhe most unexpected sensation.

It was two things, one of which caused the next. The latter was joy, the first being the most amazing thing. Heat.

Normally, a young, wounded warrior, especially one so close to my heart, burning with fever was a terrible thing. But, now, it at least meant the he was living. Link was living.

A/N: But, oh, I forgot. I'm evil. And the master of cliffhangers. So, review and you'll learn what happens next! Will Shad arrive in time?


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I'm sorry about the wait! I really am! It was killing me, too though. You see, I haven't even figured out the end yet. I want to know if Shad will get there as well. Enjoy!

Following the previous chapter exactly

Shad's POV

The horses' hooves thundered against the ground like an avalanche. They beat rhythmically on the soft earth as Malici pushed forward, forward, forward. He was going to be winded after this journey, but I needed to get to Link now, not later.

I had the antidote, and that was all that mattered.

I had been too deep in thought to realized when we came up to the town's stone wall. Over that, I still saw a sliver of sinking full moon.

Knowing that Malici couldn't enter the city, I leapt off his back and bolt toward the brige.

I'd never thought that I could run so fast.

Quickley I turned into the alley that the doctor's house was in, hoping I had come in time.

I burst through the door the find Jaggle sitting on the chair, wiping away the drenching sweat.

"Hello, Shad. I thought that you weren't soposed to come until tonight. Not that I mind. Actually, I don't like hanging around all those swordsmen all the time." It was casual enough wording, but there was defiately that sorrow and concern weighing heavily in the tone.

"I've done some research and found out that the little puncture wounds are spider bites. Venomous spider bites. And I found the antidote." I held out the jar. All Jaggle did in response was jump out of him seat to let me in.


	9. Saving Link

A/N: Thanks again for all the wonderful reviews! Especially Legend of Zelda 4 life and nobody's love. I love you both to bits! *Hugs really hard*

Immediately following previous chapter

The bandages bloodied my hands as I unwrapped my friend's fragile body. He seemed so breakable, so weak, so vulnerable. I just hoped that the book was right. I just hoped that I could save link.

I carefully applied the medicine (pollen and water) to the wounds and re-bandaged them with new, clean strips of cloth. Then I sat down.

Jaggle was seated in the chair next to me. "Do you think it'll really work, Shad?"

"Idon't know. I did what the book said, but it's a very iffy topic. Anything around the area in which I found the antidote is uncertain."

"Where did you find it?"

"A place behind Faron Woods, known as the sacred grove."

"Faron Woods? I live right near there. A little village called Ordon."

"Is that where Link is from?"

"Yeah. I watched him grow up as a little kid."

"I've never actually known a whole lot about him. Never really put a lot of thought into where he came from. Just turned up in the bar one day looking for Telma."

"He's a ranch hand. Though the technically is another one, Fado, he's mostly keeping Fado out of trouble."

He'd never seemed like the ranch hand type. I always pictures him from some big city far away. "He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would live in a little village."

"He doesn't really even live nearby. Have to walk quite a ways up the path to get to his house." I was about to reply when a sudden change in condition swept over Link.

All the air left his lungs in one breath.

A/N: Now, what does that usually mean? All the air left his lungs in one breath? Uh oh.


	10. sign of death

A/N: Did that last sentence scare you? All of the air left his lungs in one breath. That's a symbol of death….

Following last chapter immediately.

Shad's POV

All the air left his lungs in one breath… and then he coughed a few times. And groaned. And looked at Jaggle and I.

Link's POV

However, I was ambushed by a hoard of spiders from behind.

I couldn't get control of my sword arm. They were crawling all over it. I tried to keep the little devils at bay with my shield, but it was engulfed with tiny spiders.

The next thing I knew, my name was being called by Midna's tiny screeching voice and all went black and silent….

Pain. That was all that I could feel. The searing pain in my chest, in my lungs, in my head, in my legs, torso, arms, and everywhere else was excruciating. But I knew I had to clear my head.

The thing is, at this point, I thought that I was still on the hard floor of the temple. I groaned.

Then I turned my head and opened my eyes. There, in front of me, were two of the people that I wanted to see most.

Jaggle, a man frommy village that I had grown up around. I thought of him as family, as I did the rest of the villagers.

The man closer to me was Shad. The geeky scholar from the bar. Though I hadn't known him as long as I'd known Jaggle, there was still a friendship there.

Shad's POV

His blue eyes looked from Jaggle, to me and it seemed as though he was trying to speak.

I didn't really care what it was that he was trying to do right then. All that mattered was that Link was alive.

It was then that it hit me the speaking would not be the best thing right now. So, I held up my hand and told him not to try. Not to even thing about trying.

Jaggle appeared behind me with a canteen of water. I moved so that he could get by to give it to Link. It hit me as well, that nobody else knew Link was awake.

"Jaggle, I'll be right back. I'm gonna go tell the people at the bar that Link'll be alright. Be right back."

"Okay." And he sat down, in the chair, beginning to speak of things of which I do not know because I ran from the doctor's office as fast as my legs would carry me.

…**.but Link's a hard man to kill.**


	11. Shad and a story

A/N: Hey, by the way, legend of Zelda 4 life, you're confusing me. First you say that you kick Shad's ass back to where he came from, and now you seem to be all happy with him. Make up ur mind! Thanks for reviewing to all my fans! Luv ya!

Shad's POV

I slammed the door open and it bashed against the bar wall.

Door's POV

Why is he running so fast down those stairs? Wow, that's a big grin on his face. Oh no. Don't bang me open!!

Holy hell that hurt.

Ashei's POV

Just a few more strokes and I'll be able to move onto the other side. I was bored and nervous and anxious and scared. All for one reason. I think that one reason's pretty obvious. All this emotion drove me to do something, sharpening my sword – for the eleventh time today. I had almost never been scared before. This had me frightened out of my wits.

Suddenly there was a large bang from the other end of the bar and I was immediately out of my seat, sword raised.

It was Shad, a big grin plastered all over his face. He probably just got another clue on the stupid sky quest he's on. I sat back down.

"Good news!" Yep, another clue. "Link's awake!" What?!?!?!

I was out of my seat in a flash.

Link's POV

My side hurt excruciatingly, but I still listened to Link go on about how Rusl had found me brought me here. I was glad to listen. Not that I wanted to hear about how I was so weak that I needed this help, but to his voice. I hadn't heard a human voice in forever. A twili voice, yes. Human, no. It felt good. Especially since it was Jaggle. I hadn't seen or heard from him in forever.

The door opened then, emitting a rather large Telma into the room first, then Ashei, Shad, Rusl and Auru. It felt great to be surrounded by friends.

Telma sat in a chair nearby, Rusl and Auru stood a few feet away and Ashei sat the foot of the bed.

"Oh my goddesses, hon." Telma began. "We were absolutely horrified when you came to us like that."

"We didn't think that you would live." Leave it to Ashei to say something like that.

"It's terrific to have you back." Jaggle added.

"Uli and the rest of the village were going crazy. I'll need to tell them that you'll be alright." This was Rusl, like the brother I never had.

"What exactly happened to you?" Shad. He was the one to give me the antidote. So, in order to find an antidote like that he must have gone to the grove. A brilliant man like that would have fit the pieces together. So he knew. He knew that I was the hero.

Since the question had been asked, I decided I must answer. But I'd leave a lot out. Until I could speak to Shad privately. Then I'd tell him the whole story, since he already knew who he was. A little magic added into the mix wouldn't surprise him that much.

But for everyone else's sake, I left the magic and wolf business and Midna out of the first telling.

When I was done telling the revised story it was late. They decided that I needed my rest and to leave me alone. SO, the all left single file.

All except Shad. He must have picked up on my revising.

"So, what really happened?" And he sat down.

"You know who I am, right?"

"Yeah, the hero of time. Now, there has to be some magic included in there."

"Yep."

"Well?"

"First of all, this is Midna." Midna came flying out of a shadow in the corner. "She's been with me this whole time. She hides in my shadow. Even when I was in the bar with you and the others. She was still there, though you couldn't see her."

"Really?"

"Yes. And I would appreciate if you let me speak for myself, Link." Midna snapped.

Oops. I'd forgotten how independent and rude she was. "Sorry, Midna. What do you have to say?"

"Nothing, now. You already said it all."

"Problem solved." I smirked.

"Humph". Stubborn little imp. She had her arms crossed and sped away.

"Just ignore her." I told Shad, who was working extremely hard to keep his laughter under control. Rather unsuccessfully, I might add.

And the story came out.


	12. read a book final chapter

A/N: HEY! Wat's up? Well, anyway, this may be my last chapter. Now that the secret's out and we know that Link's going to live. I'm bored because home sick today… sort of. Cof cof

Link's POV

Eight days had passed and I was now up and walking around. My arm was in a sling and my ribs hurt when I stepped with my left foot, but I was out of bed.

Telma's bar was barren, as usual, with exceptions. There were always exceptions. And they were always the same exceptions.

Shad, Ashei, Rusl, Auru and I were at the back table. Jaggle had gone home to deliver good news.

My pint of ale and food in front of me was almost gone and I scanned the map one more time. It was then that I noticed a missing space. Several missing spaces, actually. This map was hand drawn by the group, but no one had added and of the temples I'd been to. No one had known they were there.

So, I picked up a piece of charcoal and began to sketch lightly. I was amazingly good for a guy. Ashei watched closely.

"That's where you were, yeah?"

"Yep. That's the temple of time. There are a few more places I want toad though, too."

"Really? What are they, yeah?"

"Um, let's see. There's the lakebed temple and the spirit temple, the tunnels underground, and the many pathways around arbiter's ground."

"Oh, I never knew there was so much, yeah!"

"There is quite a bit."

My POV

Three day later, the map was as complete as it was ever going to get and it was that Link wound return to Ordon for a time despite Link's protests.

He really did detest being babied, but went along anyway. It was going to be a long ride with broken ribs.

When Rusl and Link finally made it to Ordon village, it was nighttime. So, Link said goodnight to Rusl and went right up to his tree house.

He hadn't been home in so long, the fireplace, which normally had a fire burning in it perpetually, was filled with gray ashes and the furniture was all dusty. After a bit of cleaning and re-lighting a fire, Link took a bath and checked his pantry.

A lot of the goods had spoiled and rotted, but there were a few good things left.

After a light meal, the warrior headed off to bed.

Link woke early the next morning. Most warriors would sleep late after such an adventure, but Link had slept overtime in the past few weeks under orders of the group.

The sun was just coming up when he dressed in Ordon clothes and ate a light breakfast before setting out for the village.

It looked almost like it did before, only this time there were no kids running around, screaming, playing, living. They were all in Kikoriko.

Link didn't get much time to process anything, as Sera was suddenly next him, her arms around him hugging tightly. To tightly. Broken ribs were being squished and pressed.

"Sera, my ribs." She pulled away, fluttering her arms.

"Oh, my goddesses, Link! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me?"

"Yeah. It was a simple mistake. It's wonderful to see you." By now, Uli had arrived on the scene.

"Oh! Link! Rusl told me that you were home!" The hero was pulled into another merciless hug. But, before Link could utter a word, Sera to the rescue.

"Uli! His ribs are broken!" and she hauled her remarkably lighter neighbor off of Link.

"Oh! Oh, Link. I didn't know that. Are you alright? Did I hurt you more?"

'It's fine, Uli. You didn't know. I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" Yes, I'm sure." And the trio moved deeper into the village. The meetings with the other villagers went much the same. Minus the hugs… until he got to Fado, at least.

So things went for a fortnight, when it was decided that Link could go off again.

Though the villagers didn't want him to leave again and worried for his health and his life, Link left to finish the adventure.

Shad's POV

Rusl returned to us the night Link left. We weren't surprised, but me least of all. I knew what he had to do.

Ashei was sharpening her sword, Rusl was shaping a shield, and Auru was off fighting desert creatures. They were all doing what they did best.

And I was thinking about what I'd done. My self denial had been useless, I'd used it to save Link. Maybe being smart wasn't so bad after all. And, hey, maybe someday I will learn to fight.

But, for now, I'll just read a book.


End file.
